1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to well known so called Pince-Nez (French) or nose-pinching type reading glasses having a flexible bridge portion; plus, it also relates to well known wallet credit card holders.
2. Relevant Prior Art
Background research discovery provides some prior patent art regarded as germane to this disclosure, for example several discovered patents reveal “one piece” templeless eyeglasses having a common transversely interposed resilient plastic bridge portion, which bridge in its untensioned condition is said to bias the laterally opposed lenses sufficiently close together as to essentially grasp the upper portion of a user's nose there between close together as to essentially grasp the upper portion of a user's nose there between while being worn; hence the French derived term Pince-Nez, or nose-pinching eye glasses. The notion of templeless nose-pinching eyeglasses can be traced back several centuries to 1300's in Europe, when they employed a transverse rigid bridge affixed to the eyeglasses rims, and these lens rims were made so to adjustably clamp to the user's upper nose without lateral compliance.
In 1840 the true nose-pinching eyeglasses were conceived, employing a more aesthetic appearing transverse flexible bridge, which compliance obviated need for pre adjustment to the user's nose width. Then in 1890, the design trend swang to rimless lenses, wherein tiny holes were drilled longitudinally through the apposed lenses facilitating direct aesthetic attachment of the flexible bridge to the inward edges of the lenses; thereby eliminating a distracting presence of the lens rims. In 1916 U.S. Pat. No. 1,167,953 (filed: September 1913), W. R. Uhlemann introduced a novel vitreous (transparent glass) bridge member, which was integrally fused to the respective left and right lenses; yet this relatively fragile bridge construction offered no flexible adjustability to the user. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,098,513 (filed January 1934) is shown metal rimmed nose-pinching eyeglasses with the usual flexible metal bridge, but including opposed nose contact members which have closely spaced serrations serving to promote improved adherence of the eyeglasses upon a user's nose.
Then in UK Patent. #490,197 (filed: December 1937), Inventor J. P. Sidebottom introduced one piece frameless semi-flexible spectacles (eyeglasses) made of “an artificial molded material which is not glass”, that is, die molded of acrylic thermoset/plastic resin called Perspex® (i.e., poly-nethyl-metacrylate); which set forth a pair of lenses formed in one piece with an integral if necessarily resilient bridge member portion (it is not known if inventor Sidebottom further contemplated bridge flexibility, in as much as he does not allude to it). However, non metal integrally formed bridges remained unknown until C. Baratelli's subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,087 (filed: April 1900; wherein above said inventor Sidebottom is erroneously referred to as J. Pearson), particularly identified in claim 1 which expressed the notion of a one piece plastic nose-pinching (Pince-Nez type) eyeglasses providing a more than resilient indeed “flexible” bridge portion. Additionally, Baratelli sets forth use of opaque coating or “masking” of the integral bridge portions (# . . . 087/Column 1, Lines: 49–51), owing as to thereby preclude spurious “piping in” of reflected/refracted light, which adverse effect was alleged to be found tending to obscure optical clarity to the degree of being visually annoying if possibly dangerous distraction to the wearer under certain ambient lighting conditions.
In. U.S. Pat. No. D322,262 (filed: December 1988) is shown a nose-pinching eyeglasses having a laterally adjustable metal bridge, which in FIG. 6 shows the lenses folded one atop the other by virtue of extending the bridge to its greatest length. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,197 (filed: January 1991 from Israel) is shown an “emergency eye glass” article which is tantamount to a flat plate of injection molded transparent plastic and dimensionally substantially the came as an ordinary credit card, but having a non adjustable nose slot formed from the lower elongate edge medially to two spaced apart integrally formed optical lens portions which are only protrusions formed beyond the nominal thickness of the eyeglasses card. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,404 (filed: April 1991) is shown an injection molded plastic nose-pinching eyeglasses having an integrally embedded flexible plastic (nylon suggested) or metal (stainless steel suggested) bridge, the notion being to enable the dependent lens potions to be readily folded against one another for compactness. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,614 (filed June 2000) and the inventor's related pending U.S. Pat. No. 2002/0191150 (filed April 2002) is shown a nose-pinching type eyeglasses comprised of two mirror image lens portions which in the pending iteration includes an integral flexible bridge specified as having an either circular (0.050 inch diam.), or oval or polygonal (0.050″×0.060″, i.e.; not a parallelogram) cross section; and which the bridge is necessarily formed to a particular M shape as viewed from the front, a shape claimed to lend greater flexibility in nose-pinching action.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 132,246 (filed: October 1872) the notion of a basic no frills rigid elongate eyeglasses case was presented, comprised of two concave stamped metal mirror image panels which are sheathed inwardly with felt material, and which perimeter flanges are permanently joined medially around three sides, leaving an open small end opening for insertion of one's eyeglasses into the crush resistant case. Next, an eyeglass case of simple flexible envelope design was introduced for nose-pinching eyeglasses via U.S. Pat. No. 272,450 (filed: April 1882), in which the conventional flexible metal bridge was employed further as to enable overlapped folding of the two lens portions. This was achieved by initial insertion of one lens portion within a discrete compartment divided by a medial layer of soft fabric, thereby protecting one lens portion from being scratched upon insertion of the other lens portion within its likewise discrete adjacent compartment. That embodiment was soon followed by U.S. Pat. No. 361,724 (filed: March 1887), wherein was presented a thin end opening eyeglass case featuring internal wiping pads of a felt material, serving to wipe the nose pinching type eyeglasses lens clean each time the eyeglasses were inserted or removed therefrom. However, none of these eyeglasses cases were adaptable to provide an embodiment suited to the ultra slim low profile criteria of my own immediate disclosure.
Therefore, in full consideration of the preceding patent review, there is determined a need for an improved form of device to which these patents have been largely addressed. The instant inventor hereof believes their newly improved nose eyeglasses, commercially referred to as: WALLETREADERx™, and currently being developed for production under auspices of the FlashlineProducts Mfg./Mkt.Co., exhibits certain advantages as shall be revealed in the subsequent portion of this instant disclosure.